Kingsford’s temperature had warmed up quite a bit today, no longer so bone-chillingly cold. Yet, to Linden, it felt as though the beautiful sunny day had been frozen solid by ice shards. His teeth couldn’t help but chatter. As he walked over carrying some items, he noticed Simon Hawthorne looking into the distance.
"Mr. Hawthorne?" He followed Simon’s gaze.
In an instant, Linden’s expression changed. Was that the Madam and... the Crown Prince of the Yates family? Could she have actually joined Lance Langley already?
Linden couldn’t help but speak up. "The Madam might just be smiling at Miles Yates out of politeness... Please don’t mind it, Mr. Hawthorne." If he didn’t try to calm him down, he’d be caught in the crossfire!
Just then, some pedestrians walked by. Someone glanced in that direction and couldn’t help but sigh in admiration to their companion, "Look at that couple over there. They look so good together. With those looks, they have to be celebrities, right?"
"Probably. They might actually be stars shooting a workplace drama here. Anyway, it’s so cold, let’s go eat first."
The two girls walked briskly, not pausing their steps, but that didn’t stop them from gossiping. As luck would have it, every single word drifted into the ears of the man standing by the back of the car.
Linden tensed up. He looked up to observe his boss’s expression.
Simon’s expression was indifferent. He merely narrowed his eyes, his imposing aura undiminished and his coldness biting. Though there was no visible trace of anger, he still somehow sent a terrifying chill down one’s spine.
Zoe Lancaster also sensed that something was amiss. Becoming aware of an intensely aggressive gaze, she turned her head to look. She met a pair of eyes as deep as a dark sea, which were locked onto her with an unreadable expression.
Zoe’s heart skipped a beat. Simon Hawthorne? When did he return to the country?
Her gaze couldn’t help but shift to Linden standing beside him. Linden was holding a cake box. It was a dessert from that daily limited-edition shop in Kingsford called The Sweet Wish Pavilion. Because their treats were in such high demand, they strictly limited daily quantities and usually sold out before noon. Even having money didn’t guarantee you could buy one.
And Simon had never liked sweets. Who was this cake bought for?
But no one would answer her. Simon indifferently withdrew his gaze and turned to get into the car. He seemed completely unbothered about running into her here and had no intention of saying anything to her. He was as cold as a complete stranger. He looked nothing like the intimate lover she had been tangled in the sheets with just a few days ago.
Zoe clenched her hands.
Beside her, Miles Yates noticed her unusual reaction. He narrowed his phoenix-like eyes. "Do you know him?"
Zoe snapped back to reality. Feeling there was no need to tell the truth to a man who was just a passing acquaintance, she immediately flashed a radiant smile. Yet, despite its brightness, it carried an indescribable hint of bitterness. "The famous Mr. Hawthorne of the Hawthorne Group. He frequently appears in both the financial and entertainment news sections. Who doesn’t know him?"
After speaking, she nodded to the man. "I won’t bother you any longer then." She turned and left.
Miles, however, watched the woman’s graceful silhouette thoughtfully. His phoenix-like eyes were dark and unreadable until his phone rang.
He answered it, switching to Cantonese with a deep, lazy voice. "What’s up?"
Jules Yates had finally found time to call him. His first question was, "Did my friend go? Today should be the interview stage, right? Bro, can you look out for her?"
Miles’s lips curved into a faint smile. "The company’s procedures will be followed as they should be. We’ll talk if she passes."
Jules immediately wailed, "I’ve realized you two are exactly the same! One doesn’t want me to interfere and pull strings, and the other demands fairness and justice. So I’m the bad guy here, huh?"
"You’re looking out for this girl so much. Do you like her?" Miles looked up at the sky. The clouds had parted to reveal the sun, its rays slightly blinding, much like the smile the woman had just given him.
Jules mumbled something on the other end before saying, "Our Buddy is so great, who wouldn’t like her? But she and I are purely besties. Her business is my business. Bro, this is the only thing I’m asking of you.
"Please be nice to our Buddy."
Miles turned around on his long legs. Hearing this, he casually dropped a reply, "Yeah, I’ll consider it."
At noon, Zoe met up with Crystal Hayes for a meal.
Crystal had been rushed off her feet lately. She complained that her sponsor’s younger brother was incredibly difficult to deal with, which infuriated her. She summed it up in one phrase: making a buck is tough, and taking their crap is tougher.
Zoe burst into laughter. Feigning a profound tone, she said, "Who isn’t a slave to the dollar? Even slaves are divided into high and low classes. Aren’t I also living day by day, just hoping for divorce compensation from my plastic husband?"
"By the way, what’s the deal with your boss? What’s his name?"
Hearing Zoe mention him, Crystal’s eyes lit up subtly. "Caleb Ford."
Zoe blinked in confusion. What a familiar name...
Just as she was about to ask for details, Crystal slurped her coconut milk and asked, "Has the matter with your aunt been sorted out?"
Her question interrupted Zoe’s train of thought. She shrugged. "It’s settled. She’s staying in Kingsford for now. She’ll wait until Autumn finishes college before making a decision."
"Then that CEO Scumbag actually acted like a human being for once," Crystal evaluated. "You mentioned last time that the photo you saw in his study... Are you sure it’s his true love?"
As for "CEO Scumbag," that was a nickname Zoe had given him—a scumbag among domineering CEOs. She had to worship him like a Buddha in public, so couldn’t she at least bitch about him in private?
Zoe paused. "I think so. Otherwise, why would he keep it stored away separately?" And place it in the most conspicuous spot in his study. Who else would get that kind of special treatment?
"Fuck! I swear men are just trash!" Crystal said, fuming. "If he already has someone in his heart, who held a knife to his neck to force him to marry you? Why drag an innocent person down with him?"
What era was this? Was it really that hard to marry the woman he loved? Did he really have to have his cake and eat it too?
"If you ask me, this kind of man doesn’t love anyone. The only person he loves is himself!"
Wasn’t that the truth? By having two women, wasn’t he the only one reaping the benefits?
Zoe’s mind was still on the photo she had received at noon. Mocking herself, she said, "Humans are emotional creatures. I’d love to just be magnanimous and wait for my compensation, but sometimes I can’t even keep up the act."
She was always inevitably swayed by her emotions, which bothered her quite a bit too.
Crystal held her hand. "If humans were really that rational, they wouldn’t be human anymore. There are plenty of good men out there. Why fixate on this one bad apple? Someday soon, your big sister here will find you a few handsome, obedient young guys. A rich husband who never comes home? Isn’t that exactly what you want?"
They were a plastic couple anyway. If Simon could play the field, why couldn’t Zoe?
Zoe raised an eyebrow and simply began counting her requirements on her fingers. "I want someone over six foot one, with fair skin, and abs. Oh, and he can’t be after my wallet."
Crystal looked at her with playful disgust. "I see you’ve spent so much time with your profiteer husband that you’ve turned into a total skinflint yourself."
Zoe threw her hands up. "They can toy with my feelings, but they can’t touch my money. That’s my life motto."
After lunch, Zoe realized she had left some personal items at the Hawthorne Residence and hadn’t brought them home. After a moment of thought, she drove to the Hawthorne Residence.
In the late afternoon, the sky gradually darkened. When Zoe arrived, the Hawthorne Residence seemed to be bustling with activity. Servants were rushing in and out, and the gardeners had meticulously pruned all the plants in the courtyard.
It looked quite different from usual. Zoe took a brief look but didn’t overthink it.
Just as she entered the main courtyard, she ran into Cecilia Sloan head-on.
With Sean Hawthorne already sent abroad, Cecilia looked visibly more haggard. Upon seeing Zoe, she suddenly paused. There was an unfathomable depth in her expression that Zoe couldn’t decipher. "Since you’re back, you might as well stay for dinner today."
Zoe had initially thought this woman would throw a fit and blame her for separating mother and son. She certainly hadn’t expected her to kindly invite her to stay for dinner.
Zoe acutely sensed something was off, so she replied distantly, "No need. I’m just getting some things and then I’ll leave."
Cecilia blocked her path. "The Hawthorne Residence isn’t filled with wolves and tigers. What are you afraid of?"
Zoe frowned. She couldn’t understand why this woman was acting crazy out of nowhere. Not wanting to deal with her, she turned around.
Before she could even take two steps, she heard a servant rushing in to announce, "The Young Master is back!"
Followed immediately by, "He brought Miss Joyce back with him!"
BOOM—